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Sometimes forgiveness is for the other person.

Sometimes forgiveness is for yourself.

All the time forgiveness is what Jesus wants us to give.

This has been quiet the year for me! Lots to learn and lots to give! I’ve had the opportunity to forgive in BIG WAYS! Forgiveness is always big but sometimes it seems to have a monumental impact on you personally.

Micah 7:18 Who is a God like you, who pardons sin andforgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.

Matthew 6:14 For if youforgiveother people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will alsoforgiveyou.

Luke 1:77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through theforgiveness of their sins,

2 Corinthians 2:7 Now instead, you ought toforgiveand comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

2 Corinthians 2:10 Anyone youforgive, I alsoforgive. And what I haveforgiven—if there was anything toforgive—I haveforgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake,

One thing I’ve learned is that the forgiveness is usually more for me than it is for the one I’m forgiving. There are several different types of forgiveness.

#1 You forgive but the forgiveness might come with Boundaries

“Forgiveness and trust are two totally different things. In fact, that’s part of your problem. Every time he’s done this, he’s come back and apologized, and you have just accepted him right back into your life, and nothing has changed. You trusted him, nothing was different, and he did it again. I don’t think that’s wise.” (ref: “Boundaries by Townsend and Cloud”

1. Forgiveness has to do with the past. Forgiveness is not holding something someone has done against her. It is letting it go. It only takes one to offer forgiveness. And just as God has offered forgiveness to everyone, we are expected to do the same Matthew6:12and18:35
2. Reconciliation has to do with the present.It occurs when the other person apologizes and accepts forgiveness. It takes two to reconcile.
3. Trust has to do with the future.It deals with both what you will risk happening again and what you will open yourself up to. A person must show through his actions that he is trustworthy before you trust him again Matthew 3:8;Proverbs 4:23

#2 You forgive but that forgiveness may be met without remorse so therefore the forgiveness only releases you to the healing power of Jesus

To forgive someone who has harmed you without them asking for thatforgiveness is sometimes difficult but always necessary. Jesus tells us individually to forgive others. And Jesus will judge us individually for our forgiveness of others. It is not our job to insist that they repent. It’s a heart thing! They may never feel the need to ask forgiveness from you for the harm done to you and they may never ask God’s forgiveness but God will deal with them alone. But if we don’t forgive on our side then we are going to carry around hurt and anger that will only destroy our souls and eat away at our hearts. Making us bitter! Jesus does not want that for us. He also doesn’t expect us to forget the harm just allow Him to remove the pain from it.

Ephesians 4:31-32 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

3 You forgive the other solely for their well being. But in the end you will be blessed by the experience.

Then there may be times when someone asks for your forgiveness yet you don’t feel any anger at all against them. You never know how a simple act of forgiveness may bring peace to a soul and allow them to also accept the forgiveness of Christ. It may just be what they needed to find redemption.

Luke 17:3-4 Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.

Colossians 3:13 Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

1 Peter 3:9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

As I’ve traveled through this year, I’ve grown in the understanding of the love that God has for me and the healing power of forgiving. I’ve clung on to the truths of God’s word and the examples that he has given to me. I have not yet perfected my every action but I have learned how to consult Him before I react while taking time to breath and meditating on His word. This has brought much peace to my day to day living and has settled the turmoil in my heart. I’ve learned that His direction for me is what is perfecting me. Until the day that I’m with Him forever. Romans 12:1-21Therefore, I urge you,brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.Do not conformto the pattern of this world,but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasingand perfect will.

For by the grace given meI say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,so in Christ we, though many, form one body,and each member belongs to all the others.We have different gifts,according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying,then prophesy in accordance with your faith;if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;if it is to encourage, then give encouragement;if it is giving, then give generously;if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.Love must be sincere.Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.Be devoted to one another in love.Honor one another above yourselves.Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,serving the Lord.Be joyful in hope,patient in affliction,faithful in prayer.Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.Practice hospitality.Bless those who persecute you;bless and do not curse.Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.Live in harmony with one another.Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.Do not repay anyone evil for evil.Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.Do not take revenge,my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.On the contrary:“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Other resources to find out more about why forgiveness is so important:
Biblegateway.org

And if you need a safe place to begin the forgiving healing power, find a Celebrate Recovery location near you. ( ref: http://locator.crgroups.info/ )

Lord thank you for walking with me through my life. I know that I can trust your strength to carry me. Help me Lord continue to forgive when needed and asking forgiveness when I have wronged others. Please be with the ones that I love. I pray that everyone will turn to you for a peace of the soul. Amen!

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Haggai 2:23

Says the Lord Almighty, “And in this place I will grant peace”

I can’t believe another Christmas has come. This year marks “NEW”. New traditions, new anticipations and new beginnings. It’s been a year! And it’s been a year of new Grace.

This is the 1st year that my whole family hasn’t been together, EVER! My children aren’t even together this year. Change is always hard and definitely can have an element of sadness. Even in the joy, a hint of sorrow can seep in .

My reading this morning went straight to Haggai. The chapter starts with the Lord telling them to “give careful thoughts to your ways”. And then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message, “I am with you says the Lord”. “And my spirit remains among you”.

He promises……….

Haggai 2:9

‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

So in whatever Joy and whatever Sadness we are feeling today, we are reminded that Jesus came for us. The Lord fulfilled His promises and will continue to fulfill them as long as we continue to go to Him for our filling.

Lord I thank You. I thank you for your ever giving Grace on me and my family. I thank you for always covering us with a PEACE that surpasses all understanding. I thank you for giving us your Son to live within us always. I pray Lord for my family that is not sheltered by my roof today. I pray that they will feel Your presence with them and they will feel my love surrounding them. I ask you to be with those who have no one. Wrap your loving arms around them and show them your great mercies. Amen.

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Is my life a “MISSION” OR “INTERMISSION”?

1 Timothy 1:5

The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

I wonder if my life is a Mission or and Intermission. I wonder if I do enough to show my gratitude for what He has given me. I want my life to be a Mission. Serving in all that I do. Doesn’t have to big, spectacular stuff! Start with the small things, a smile, a hug and a “love you”!

Like this:

Isaiah 51:3

The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins;he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord.Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.

We live in this world in a constant state of anticipation. Waiting, Hoping for the the next big thing. The lists that we have written down, the dreams we have dreamed, the pictures we have imagined and the people that we want to fulfill them. The problem is that even in all the anticipation, waiting and hoping, if we’re placing all that on earthly things or humans then the disappointment is just around the bend.

I used to tell my kids when things wouldn’t go the way they wanted it to, “Well, welcome to life!”. Regretfully this is a true statement. Because as long as we are still on this earth, there will be disappointment and pain. It’s not until I realize as CS Lewis puts it “I was made for another world.”, I will live in a constant state of disappointment and disillusionment. Because until I fill that hole in the my heart that only can be filled with God, all the hope in the world will leave me disappointed.

St. Augustine said, “We were made for You, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”

And then………………

Hebrews 9:28so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

So now all my Anticipation, Waiting and Hoping will all be without disappointment because God is not done yet and my dreams, hopes and lists will all be fulfilled in Heaven with Him.

But until that day comes, I will live with the Joy that comes from knowing Him and I pray that I will be able to give a “glimmer of hope” to someone on earth so they will realize that He is not done with them either.

Lord, Help me to continue to live with the Hope of Great Anticipation of your arrival! Amen!